The Week of February 23, 2025 by CoenM

Description


Instructions

Answer the questions below to the best of your ability without using outside resources. Outside references include (but certainly are not limited to) searching for an answer on the internet, looking at maps, using a calculator, or asking a friend (or foe) if they know the answer. Basically, you are relying on your brain (and maybe a pencil and paper).

For each correct answer, you will receive 15 points. You must also mark 5 questions as "money" questions. For each money question that you answer correctly, you will receive bonus points equal to the percent of players who answered incorrectly. (That is, if 25% of players got a question right, its money bonus would be worth 75 points.) You still don't get any points for a wrong answer, though, so try to select the hardest questions you think you have answered correctly. (Note: You can't use outside resources to help pick your money questions either.)

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Questions

Question 1

The CDU won the most seats in Germany's parliamentary elections, and will look to create a government without what FAR RIGHT PARTY, which took the second-most seats?


Question 2

A White House meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump saw what ADMINISTRATION FIGURE admonish Zelenskyy for questioning US diplomatic efforts and a lack of thankfulness? The attacks led to protests in Vermont, where the figure's family later went on a skiing vacation.


Question 3

A newly-created task force in what CARIBBEAN COUNTRY launched a raid on the compound of Jimmy Chérizier, aka Barbecue, the leader of a coalition of street gangs that control much of the capital?


Question 4

A Chinese-crewed cargo ship was detained on suspicion of cutting undersea data cables, this time not by a Baltic nation, but by the navy of what ASIAN ISLAND, where the cables connected it to the Penghu Islands?


Question 5

Militants from the PKK, which represents what ETHNIC GROUP, called a cease fire in its insurgency against Turkey? The cease fire came two days after jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called for it.


Question 6

Hundreds of thousands of people in what EUROPEAN COUNTRY took to the streets to protest on the second anniversary of a train crash that killed 57? The protests cited a lack of accountability and safety improvements, both of which were again promised by prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.


Question 7

The owner of what NEWSPAPER announced that its editorial section would embrace "personal liberties and free markets" and that other viewpoints "will be left to be published by others?" The change led to the resignation of the paper's opinions editor, David Shipley.


Question 8

Microsoft announced it would shut down what VIDEO CALLING app, which it acquired in 2011 for $8.5 billion? The app will shut down in May, with users folded into Microsoft Teams.


Question 9

A paper in Nature Communications suggested that a mineral called ferrihydrite, rather than hematite, that is responsible for the color of what PLANET?


Question 10

Your HallR Memorial Mini-Theme of the Week: Off and Running. What FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE and one-time DOGE member announced his candidacy for governor of Ohio?


Question 11

What FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, his first bid for public office after resigning as governor in 2021 in the face off multiple accusations of sexual misconduct? First and last name, please!


Question 12

What ACTOR and two-time Oscar winner for The French Connection and Unforgiven died at his New Mexico home at the age of 95? He and his wife, pianist Betty Arakawa, were thought to have been dead for several days before being discovered.